JEFF (J.D.) DAVIDS

A dynamic and engaging entrepreneur
with over $1 Billion of stories to share
about success and failure.

Over 30 years in the trenches
of entrepreneurship & innovation,
early stage investing,
venture capital,
corporate innovation,
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), and
Initial Public Offerings (IPO).

 

Operator / Executive

8 startups, 6 successful exits

Serial Entrepreneur x 8
Founder & Chief Executive Officer x 1
Chief Operating Officer x 4
Chief Financial Officer x 8

Dealmaker

Over $1.5 Billion in deals including IPOs, M&A, corporate investments, venture capital & angel investors

The SmartMoney Ventures Podcast!

Logo Field - Speaker Page.png
 
Inspiring innovative entrepreneurs at Mass Challenge in Boston!

Inspiring innovative entrepreneurs at Mass Challenge in Boston!

 

Bio - Jeff (J.D.) Davids:

J.D. Davids has a unique perspective and style that educates, inspires & entertains audiences around the world.

J.D. blends Marine Corps strategy and confidence with the humility and seasoning of both painful failures and big successes in his journey as an innovator, entrepreneur, operator & investor. He loves helping others avoid some of the lessons he has learned serving on the management teams of 8 venture capital backed companies over 30 years in the trenches of venture capital and entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, Southern California, Chicago & beyond.

J.D. has a well-weathered soft spot in his heart for innovators & entrepreneurs as they navigate their journey from initial launch & seed funding into the world of venture capital pitches and beyond. He knows what it feels like to prepare for the board meeting as a first time CEO, and how to navigate the five-layer chess game of raising 10’s of millions and 100’s of millions of dollars from investors and on to the holy grail of venture capital: a successful exit transaction producing a billion dollar outcome.

An insightful speaker with an engaging style, J.D. Davids serves as Managing Partner of SmartMoney Ventures, a firm that helps innovators, entrepreneurs & investors Beat the Odds in a high risk environment with a 75% failure rate.

SmartMoney Ventures produces world class content, training & education for all who participate in innovation ecosystems around the world. Our audience includes innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, universities, accelerators, economic development groups & civic officials who are building thriving geographic ecosystems, creating jobs and economic sustainability for their communities around the globe.

Speaking Topics include:
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Strategic Planning for New Ventures
Fundraising - Angels, Venture Capital, Crowdfunding, Corporate Venture Capital
Corporate Innovation, venture investing & strategic mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
Incubator & Accelerator Best Practices
Innovation in the Dept of Defense & Military (all command levels)
Veteran Workforce Development
Economic Development, job creation thru innovation
University Tech Transfer & Commercialization
Innovation in Universities & Research Institutions
Entrepreneurial Psychology

To book J.D. to speak to your group: go to:

www.jddavids.com/speaker-booking-page

Download PDF version of bio here:


Recent Awards:

VeteranEntrepreneurAwards-SDBJ.png

San Diego Business Journal: Best Advocate for Veteran Entrepreneurs

San Diego, California

the-presidents-volunteer-service-award.jpg

President’s Council on Service & Civic Participation

Volunteer Recognition Day Luncheon
April 8, 2019 | Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego

Prior Speaking Engagements:

National Veterans Leadership Foundation

Cohort 1 of Entrepreneurship for Veteran Students
https://nvlfoundation.org/

nasdaq-EntrepreneurialCenter.jpg

NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center

San Francisco | Fast Track Your Fundraising Workshop

WSGR-MedicalDeviceConference.png

27th Annual Medical Device Conference

WIlson Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati
2019 | Palace Hotel, San Francisco

SanDiegoStartupWeek-Logo.png

San Diego Startup Week - 4 years

Over 4,000 entrepreneurs, 150 workshops & a full week of fun!

USD-Logo-Small-2.jpg

USD Veteran Leadership Roundtable

Committee Chair - Success Metrics
Joan Kroc Center for Peace and Justice

Veterans-Panel-SDSW-062718b2.jpg

Adapting Military Lessons to build Outstanding Startups

San Diego Startup Week

Mintz-Edge_Podcast_Glaser.jpg


”From the Edge” with Mintz Levin

Co-Chair of Venture Capital Practice | Jeremy Glaser

“From the Edge” Podcast with Mintz Levin

A Lifetime of Deals with Jeremy Glaser

AssnForStrategicPlanning-Logo.jpg

Association for Strategic Planning

Lean Strategic Planning for New Ventures
Los Angeles, California

Media / Press Coverage

Forbes Logo.jpeg

Forbes Feature Article

“Top Investors Reveal What They Look For Online Before Meeting Business Owners
Ryan Erskine

sdbj-SanDiegoBusinessJournal.png

Veteran Entrepreneur Awards Banquet

Awarded “Best Advocate for Veteran Entrepreneurs”

Organizations worked with:

Incubators / Accelerators:
NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center (San Francisco)
Mass Challenge (Boston)
WeWork (Boston, San Francisco, San Diego)
SK Telecom InnoPartners (Sunnyvale)
EvoNexus (San Diego)
HeraHub (San Diego)
The Basement at UCSD
Jacobs Center for Engineering at UCSD

Conferences / Groups:
Startup Week San Diego (multi-year, multi-session)
Wilson Sonsini Medical Device Conference
Veteran Entrepreneur Summit
Hera Venture Summit & Pitchfest Judge
IGNITE Conference at UCSD
Legacy Entrepreneur Awards at USD University of San Diego
San Diego Business Journal Veteran Entrepreneur Awards

Broadcast / Radio / Print Media:
Forbes
Bloomberg Radio
ESPN BisTalk Radio
San Diego Business Journal
San Diego Union Tribune
San Diego Daily Transcript
Columbus Dispatch
Honolulu Star Advertiser
San Francisco Chronicle

Military / DOD Related:
Marine Executive Association - West
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Recruit Depot - San Diego
Naval Base San Diego
Naval Base Coronado


E

E

JEFF (J.D.) DAVIDS

8 Startup Companies
3 Initial Public Offerings (IPO)
3 Strategic Acquisitions
Over $1 Billion in deals completed


Mentored Hundreds of Entrepreneurs
Former CPA with KPMG Peat Marwick
Veteran of the United States Marine Corps

Graduate of THE Ohio State University